I would see if there are other Australian air units that you can upgrade to Beauforts VIIIs. Some air units you can upgrade without having the full amount needed. You will need to train up Australian pilots in NavT as you probably don't have any pilots trained up in this skill and you will need to stockpile some.

You can send out your Australian armor to capture bases as long as you have transport planes keeping them supplied by air. Alice Spring to Tennant Creek and then allow the slow trail system from there to feed you north. Carnavan towards Exmouth and then towards Port Hedland. Japanese armor cannot stand against Allied tanks.

Keep him tied down to Solomons and New Guinea will you prepare to hit him in a more vulnerable areas.

I'm going to present my alternative to an amphibious landing. Below is a map of northwest India with the Roads highlighted as well as "hexsides" shown, including "no cross" marks.

I assume that you have armour as well as infantry in your bases. What I would do is:

1 - Send out the armour on all four roads forward, and have the infantry move on the better roads.

2 - Bring those 200 Wildcats on your CVEs and put them in your two bases to add to your Air power

3 - Put your fighters on rotating LR CAP over your advancing units

4 - Send your 4Es out at 12K feet over different bases each turn

5 - Start Sweeping nearby Japanese Bases with P-38s

Your opponent doesn't have "infinite" Air Units, so give him more than "2" targets. He can't hit multiple moving columns effectively all at the same time. And if he tries he can't hit your Air Bases at the same time too.

If he has 300 fighters and 600 bombers, bring in 300 fighters of your own and as many 4Es as you can.

If you attempt an amphibious invasion he will clobber your from the south and you will never know what hit. His Bettys and subs will put your CVEs under faster than you can believe. If you pressure him all over you can force him to make mistakes, and the odds for "good luck" will increase on your side.

Thanks for the time spent for me ADB. Much appreaciated!!

The problem i see in this plan is that we have an HR that doesn't allow us to drop troops or supplies on a non-base/dot hex, so the souther road from Hyderabad is excluded. It remains the eastern road towards Multan. From my calculations he still has at least 5000 AVs in India, most of which are based at Multan, where, by the time we get there, there gonna be 9 forts. On those long distances supplies doesn't flow easily and no matter my troops, arriving divided, and being hit every day by his bombers (i can LRCAP, yes, but he has gazzillions of tojos to sweep my LRCAP first and clean the way for the hordes of bombers, will arrive in a bad situation in front of the enemy...he will be very close to his bases, while i'll be exposed...the risk is to get a statlemate in a long siege of Multan...i have to think about that but this really seems to me more risky than a counterlanding. A counterlanding is, imho, the only way to force him out of his strong position of Multan. Multan is the door that closes Karachi...from hyderabad is the only real way to get south (the desert road is a NO-NO...tried it during the first days of war...and it took me 2 months to get from Hyderabad to Jodpur!!!)...but Multan is sorrounded by a river and by bad roads...and there isn't any nearby base that can be conquered to help defending my advancing troops. You say the bettis are gonna hit me alive...but 200 fighters on CAP isn't that bad imho!...and if things go like i desire, the whole thing will be very fast...we first bomb the hell out of Surat, then we paradrop 3 regiments, then we move in say 100 fighters from karachi and a base force...at the same time we pop up from the Aden channell and in 3 days our first units are ashore...i can even think of non risking my CVEs and transfer my fighters directly from them to Surat and provide from there a decent air cover to my transports...for sure i'm gonna lose some ships...but this manouvre, if it goes well, could re-open the whole indian front!!! He will have to run away from Multan...and my tanks will be free to roll south...and i have LOTS of tanks in india...good ones...plus all the americans that i'm transfering. If the KB isn't there it can be done imho...

I would see if there are other Australian air units that you can upgrade to Beauforts VIIIs. Some air units you can upgrade without having the full amount needed. You will need to train up Australian pilots in NavT as you probably don't have any pilots trained up in this skill and you will need to stockpile some.

You can send out your Australian armor to capture bases as long as you have transport planes keeping them supplied by air. Alice Spring to Tennant Creek and then allow the slow trail system from there to feed you north. Carnavan towards Exmouth and then towards Port Hedland. Japanese armor cannot stand against Allied tanks.

Keep him tied down to Solomons and New Guinea will you prepare to hit him in a more vulnerable areas.

Yes, i just did it NY59! thanks! upgraded 3 Aus squadrons to beauforts and now training hard in Naval T

Oz is already in my hands. All of it. I reconquered all the bases when he left few months ago... Now i need supplies and engineers in order to start building...and fuel is always a problem despite the constant flow that comes from CT every months...i just unloaded 190k fuel at perth...but it's never enough!!!

The problem i see in this plan is that we have an HR that doesn't allow us to drop troops or supplies on a non-base/dot hex, so the souther road from Hyderabad is excluded.

I didn't say "drop" supplies or troops on an empty hex, I said sail them in - it's your territory, you aren't invading. I said drop paras on the base to the right of my comment if it is empty.

Anyway, if you take that road you will find out that you will get plenty of supplies to your troops anyway.

If you start out with multiple attacks you will force your opponent to scramble and make mistakes. If you insist on making "hail mary" single point attacks you will play into his strength forever.

Ok, let's find a compromise. My "version" however implies the troops based at Karachi to move anyway...and they will move earlier than any counterlanding...so let's say we'll start moving towards Multan and taking the "southern" road and we'll see how things will deploy...if supplies will follow easily and if we're going to be able to LRCAP with a decent efficiency our advancing troops we'll be able to chose not to risk the counterlanding and simply move our incoming troops to karachi. While if we're going to face too many problems related to supplies and fatigue/distruption created by his air attacks, we will still have the other option ready at hand...felxibility

Your breakout from Karachi will depend mainly on your armor units, IMO. Your left flank headed towards Multan would have almost all of it. Japanese tank units, even armor divisions cannot handle the Allied tanks after a few attacks. You will need to send AA units along with them. If you have more than one Command HQ at Karachi, then one goes that way to pull supply. Once the attack on your left flank is well underway you can conduct your invasion.

For now, what do you have at Karachi in armor units or can you ship in??

Second, I would send some subs towards Socotra to see if his ASW search finds them and then to the base itself to get some intel. You have 6 months until Aden to CT is open. I would also move fuel from Adaban to Aden. Once you can get TKs out of Aden, they you want to have the fuel there already to transport to Cape Town (CT).

What forces does you opponent have at Socotra? Why not start a fast CA/DD bombardment campaign against it in order to shut down the runways. Start with DDs since they are almost impossible to hit with Naval Air, and once you start to cause damage go with CAs. This would also be a good use for your CVs. Once you shut down Socotra you can start to send Transport TFs from Cape Town again.

You keep mentioning 4E for closing the air bases in India. I looked on the map you posted and the farthest base that you wanted to close looked like it was 12 hexes. That should be within range of many of your 2E bombers too. Every little bit of damage you can cause will help. Don't forget them! What do you have as far as 2E's available, by the way? This really seems like the critical theater for you. I'd probably put everything I could into this effort.

Your breakout from Karachi will depend mainly on your armor units, IMO. Your left flank headed towards Multan would have almost all of it. Japanese tank units, even armor divisions cannot handle the Allied tanks after a few attacks. You will need to send AA units along with them. If you have more than one Command HQ at Karachi, then one goes that way to pull supply. Once the attack on your left flank is well underway you can conduct your invasion.

For now, what do you have at Karachi in armor units or can you ship in??

Second, I would send some subs towards Socotra to see if his ASW search finds them and then to the base itself to get some intel. You have 6 months until Aden to CT is open. I would also move fuel from Adaban to Aden. Once you can get TKs out of Aden, they you want to have the fuel there already to transport to Cape Town (CT).

At Karachi i have nearly 1200 armour AVs At Karachi ready to move to Multan. They are good, with best leaders and all of the upgraded to the latest devices...but they won't be able to break through a 5000 AVs garrison behind 9 forts...that's for sure. They will be sent to Multan along with 5000 AVs of Infantry Units, artillery and AAs. The infantry will try to make a frontal assault while the 1200 tank Army will move in flanking movement

Yes, good idea the one for Scoodra. However guys i'm sure Scoodra is well defended. There's the 15th Army HQ, along with an Air HQ (the 15th Air Div i think) and a full regiment, for sure with at least 5/6 forts...i've already ordered to my subs to take a long cruise around Scoodra to see how's the air search there....

You keep mentioning 4E for closing the air bases in India. I looked on the map you posted and the farthest base that you wanted to close looked like it was 12 hexes. That should be within range of many of your 2E bombers too. Every little bit of damage you can cause will help. Don't forget them! What do you have as far as 2E's available, by the way? This really seems like the critical theater for you. I'd probably put everything I could into this effort.

IAMH

I have a decent number of wellingtons...but they are very fragile...if there's any CAP there they won't be flying at all...the blenheims are out of question for the moment. I can use some B-25s yes...overall i should be able to put in the air 150 4Es and some 70 2Es...not monter numbers but they should be enough to close those almost empty airfields (presuming they will remain empty for the next months...).

The day begun with the unlucky shot at the Zuikaku...the brave Purpoise paid for its courage and almost got sunk by the CV's escort...now limping back to Sydney with 80 flt...

Then when the sun went up was the turn of Tulagi...

First he swept Tessafaronga anf Tulagi with 200 Zeros/Tojos...then he came with 200 Helens escorted by 150 Oscars...and then with 230 Kates from the KB...gotta say that the results weren't that good for him. We had moved back all our fighter force so his sweeps were useless and during the night we managed to deliver 5000 supplies to Tulagi and a full U.S. AA regiment (fully prepped).

His mighty army marched out of Buna and is now marching on the Owen Stanley. Recon says 19 units for 140k men, 500 tanks and 800 guns...must be exagerating...however i'm pretty sure that most of his best divisions are there... We'll soon start a little bombing campaign there in order to slow down his movements...but that army, no matter how bad its supply situation will be, is unstoppable. PM is lost.

At Lungaville my newly built SOPAC Air Army is almost ready. We have a brand new british unit equipped with Spits VIII, 150 F4Fs and some more 60 Army fighters, along with 160 Army bombers. We'll soon start to bomb Shortland and Torobika. P-38s are being called from Oz. I'll need few more turns but we're almost there.

CV Illustrious was sent back today, while Hornet started to repair at SF... 2 more SDB units vanished today...i've lost 6 SDBs units since 1 Jan 1943...i've substituted them with the USMC units...but it's not the same.

Lunga now is maxed (4-8) out and i can concentrate on forts (now 5 and 5%). With 130k supplies in ...he can bomb it as he pleases but he won't be able to shut it down for long

INDIA: considering that his navy has vanished from this theatre i'm sending back to Aden my 32 subs operating there. They will take their upgrades and in a month they'll finally be ready to be used aggressively. With Karachi Safely in my hands there's no need to keep them on the defensive... packs of wolves will be sent to harrass his sea lanes between Colombo-Calcutta and Singapore. Hopefully with all these guys equipped with radar, with better torps and with good captains we will start to obtain some results (at least 16 of these 32 subs are S-class or ducth/brit subs, so they should be more effective)

Use your Wellingtons at night - they will inflict less damage but they will survive and whittle his supplies down.

He now has 140K of elite troops in PNG - heading for PM. Your job now is to keep them there, in a place that really doesn't threaten you much.

Flood the area with subs - if he takes PM, he'll need to pull those divisions out - you need to take a heavy toll if he tries to get them out by sea. I'd be looking at fast, longe range raiders if he does as well.

PM isn't a disaster, it's a great opportunity to tie him down in one spot!

American CVs - The capacity is 90, but you can overstack up to 110% (or is it 115%?). You have 36 F4F-4 Wildcats for now (until the Hellcats arrive), 36 SBD-3, and 15 Avengers. That comes out to 87. Thus, you can safely put aboard a fifth air unit with 12 planes. I would use your Marine fighters (size 18), but probably one that has seen some combat and fill it out to ONLY 12 planes, but max pilots. Another option is to divide one of your recon F4F-4 units and place 6 fighter/recon on board to help with recon efforts (I train them in both recon and air skills).

I mentioned this as you have CV undergoing repairs and have future plans in the works.

American CVs - The capacity is 90, but you can overstack up to 110% (or is it 115%?). You have 36 F4F-4 Wildcats for now (until the Hellcats arrive), 36 SBD-3, and 15 Avengers. That comes out to 87. Thus, you can safely put aboard a fifth air unit with 12 planes. I would use your Marine fighters (size 18), but probably one that has seen some combat and fill it out to ONLY 12 planes, but max pilots. Another option is to divide one of your recon F4F-4 units and place 6 fighter/recon on board to help with recon efforts (I train them in both recon and air skills).

I mentioned this as you have CV undergoing repairs and have future plans in the works.

That's a great idea indeed!!! Especially the one concerning recon wildcats...their range is HUGE and i could use them not only for recon but, filled with patrol skilled pilots, to boost the naval search capabilities of my CVs!!!! Spotting the enemy before he spots me...priceless

Use your Wellingtons at night - they will inflict less damage but they will survive and whittle his supplies down.

He now has 140K of elite troops in PNG - heading for PM. Your job now is to keep them there, in a place that really doesn't threaten you much.

Flood the area with subs - if he takes PM, he'll need to pull those divisions out - you need to take a heavy toll if he tries to get them out by sea. I'd be looking at fast, longe range raiders if he does as well.

PM isn't a disaster, it's a great opportunity to tie him down in one spot!

Unfortunately our HR concerning night bombing is quite limiting...we can put in the air only the moolight%number of bombers divided per 2...meaning that, at best, i can have for only one day 50 bombers flying night missions... not a lot...

However i do love the sub suggestion....by the time he reaches PM my subs will all be ready after their 12/42 upgrades...even my CVs could be playing an interesting role...unfortunately PM will be well CAPped for sure...so i bet tons of ASW Helens will be guarding those waters...but a good combination of 4Es, sweeps, subs, 2Es on naval attack and my CVs could be creating interesting opportunities.

I know PM wasn't a failure...not completely at least...but the idea of losing 20.000 men in that way hurts...i mean...1 full US division, 1 full NZ bde, 2 arty units, 2 US base forces and a Corp HQ... the fact is that those units would have been appropriate in a "historical environement"...but i have to understand, as ADB says, that this isn't History...if he faces a corp invasion with the equivalent of two armies...well, i have to change my POV and start to think to use everywhere the hammer and not only the stiletto

If SS Argonaut, Narwhal, and Nautilus are still afloat, convert to SST. Form them into a Sub Transport TF. Go to PM. Have a unit there placed in 'Strategic Move.' Moved back to Cairns. Rinse, Repeat. You may not be able to save a whole unit, but you could get a large number of troops out rather than have all die there so its easier to rebuild.

If SS Argonaut, Narwhal, and Nautilus are still afloat, convert to SST. Form them into a Sub Transport TF. Go to PM. Have a unit there placed in 'Strategic Move.' Moved back to Cairns. Rinse, Repeat. You may not be able to save a whole unit, but you could get a large number of troops out rather than have all die there so its easier to rebuild.

Already tried...got two of them sunk by Helens based at Buna... i'll try to sneak some Catalinas...at least i'll save fragmnets for re-building purposes...

If SS Argonaut, Narwhal, and Nautilus are still afloat, convert to SST. Form them into a Sub Transport TF. Go to PM. Have a unit there placed in 'Strategic Move.' Moved back to Cairns. Rinse, Repeat. You may not be able to save a whole unit, but you could get a large number of troops out rather than have all die there so its easier to rebuild.

Already tried...got two of them sunk by Helens based at Buna... i'll try to sneak some Catalinas...at least i'll save fragmnets for re-building purposes...

Don't worry too much about saving fragments. Not if if means losing valuable aircraft and ships. The most recent betas allow you to purchase destroyed units back with a very small PP cost. You no longer need to save fragments. Even if you do not use any of the betas, it can be assumed that the official patch will be out before you really have need or resources to start rebuilding. So just wait for the patch and you will be fine.

I might need to send Rader a bribe to find out why his Helens are so deadly and how he is getting those massive Tojo sweeps to work. I haven't gotten mine to come out in more than a single Sentai size. My Helens have ASW skill at 70, but don't seem to be that effective.

If SS Argonaut, Narwhal, and Nautilus are still afloat, convert to SST. Form them into a Sub Transport TF. Go to PM. Have a unit there placed in 'Strategic Move.' Moved back to Cairns. Rinse, Repeat. You may not be able to save a whole unit, but you could get a large number of troops out rather than have all die there so its easier to rebuild.

Already tried...got two of them sunk by Helens based at Buna... i'll try to sneak some Catalinas...at least i'll save fragmnets for re-building purposes...

Don't worry too much about saving fragments. Not if if means losing valuable aircraft and ships. The most recent betas allow you to purchase destroyed units back with a very small PP cost. You no longer need to save fragments. Even if you do not use any of the betas, it can be assumed that the official patch will be out before you really have need or resources to start rebuilding. So just wait for the patch and you will be fine.

I might need to send Rader a bribe to find out why his Helens are so deadly and how he is getting those massive Tojo sweeps to work. I haven't gotten mine to come out in more than a single Sentai size. My Helens have ASW skill at 70, but don't seem to be that effective.

As far as i can tell by recon, he moves in at least 2 Helens Sentais every time he wants to push away my subs...probably 2x36 Helens with high ASW skills on small search arcs may do the trick! I've been able to do the same with my Hudsons at Karachi...but i had to flood the place with more than 200 bombers on naval search in a squadre of 8 total hexes!

I might need to send Rader a bribe to find out why his Helens are so deadly and how he is getting those massive Tojo sweeps to work. I haven't gotten mine to come out in more than a single Sentai size. My Helens have ASW skill at 70, but don't seem to be that effective.

I obviously can't reply for Rader but I have the same level of success with Japan ASW in my game against LST Express where, in mid 44, I have sunk more that 100 subs mostly by planes (the number has been confirmed by my noble opponent). What I do is have very good pilots in ASW and put the planes at 1K feet altitude. Because we are playing and older version I do not use search arcs but I regularly spot and attack subs many times every turn.

I might need to send Rader a bribe to find out why his Helens are so deadly and how he is getting those massive Tojo sweeps to work. I haven't gotten mine to come out in more than a single Sentai size. My Helens have ASW skill at 70, but don't seem to be that effective.

I obviously can't reply for Rader but I have the same level of success with Japan ASW in my game against LST Express where, in mid 44, I have sunk more that 100 subs mostly by planes (the number has been confirmed by my noble opponent). What I do is have very good pilots in ASW and put the planes at 1K feet altitude. Because we are playing and older version I do not use search arcs but I regularly spot and attack subs many times every turn.

Hope it help.

Alex.

yes, i do the same with my ASW planes, even tough i haven't any specific ASW squadron yet (working on this), i set them to naval search and they do spot subs and attack them...very few of them are actually sunk but at least i'm able to defend my sea lanes...

Defenetly the ASW air system is too overpowered on both sides...it's impossible to send allied subs on lanes not covered by ASW and find any ship...Japan just need to keep his routes close to isles or bases where he can base the dreaded Helens and voilà...you have so nullified the allied sub campaign. The same goes for the allies with the only difference that allied sea lanes are bigger and no matter how good you plan, you cannot cover every ocean hex (for ex between PH and SF there's a Gap that no air patrol can cover

I might need to send Rader a bribe to find out why his Helens are so deadly and how he is getting those massive Tojo sweeps to work. I haven't gotten mine to come out in more than a single Sentai size. My Helens have ASW skill at 70, but don't seem to be that effective.

I obviously can't reply for Rader but I have the same level of success with Japan ASW in my game against LST Express where, in mid 44, I have sunk more that 100 subs mostly by planes (the number has been confirmed by my noble opponent). What I do is have very good pilots in ASW and put the planes at 1K feet altitude. Because we are playing and older version I do not use search arcs but I regularly spot and attack subs many times every turn.

Hope it help.

Alex.

yes, i do the same with my ASW planes, even tough i haven't any specific ASW squadron yet (working on this), i set them to naval search and they do spot subs and attack them...very few of them are actually sunk but at least i'm able to defend my sea lanes...

Defenetly the ASW air system is too overpowered on both sides...it's impossible to send allied subs on lanes not covered by ASW and find any ship...Japan just need to keep his routes close to isles or bases where he can base the dreaded Helens and voilà...you have so nullified the allied sub campaign. The same goes for the allies with the only difference that allied sea lanes are bigger and no matter how good you plan, you cannot cover every ocean hex (for ex between PH and SF there's a Gap that no air patrol can cover

Funny, but I don't think Allied air ASW is overpowered at all. It it perhaps just about right. Perhaps it is because I have focused my training on search and low bombing over ASW. At least in the Atlantic theater, I think Allied air was killing subs as often or more than surface vessels in the last few years of the war. Actually, to be fair it was usually a joint effort using all assets at once.

For the Allied player air asw is not so important. You eventually get so many good ASW ships that you need only use the air to spot. The ships will do the killing just fine. Once they get radar and upgraded DC (mousetraps and hedgehogs too) it is just amazing how effective even lowly SC and AMs are at killing subs. Surprising to me is how poorly my KV types have done. They seem to eat a lot of torpedoes.